Somalia’s governance system is under strain, with political disputes at the federal level, tensions between Mogadishu and regional states, and a persistent security threat from militant groups. The result has been a cycle of delayed reforms, contested authority, and fragile decision-making—especially as the country tries to stabilize after years of conflict. Below is a clear breakdown of the main factors driving political instability in Somalia and why they matter for governance, elections, and public trust. What…

A grim wave of vigilante killings has left at least 60 people dead, driven by panic over rumours that men’s genitals were being “shrunk” or “stolen.” Eyewitnesses said accusations alone were enough to spark instant fury, with crowds rapidly coalescing into mobs that beat or killed the alleged culprits. The unrest erupted in mid-April in Cabo Delgado province and has since spilled into other parts of the country. Authorities have responded with hundreds of arrests. People who claimed to be victims of the purported attacks…

Wednesday May 13, 2026 Teargas billowed through Nairobi’s city centre on Tuesday as Kenyan police moved to break up dozens of anti-France protesters who tried to push toward the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), the venue for the Africa Forward Summit. Police in Kenya fired teargas to stop surging protesters from reaching a conference centre in Nairobi, where France summit was being held on May 12. / Reuters Teargas billowed through Nairobi’s city centre on Tuesday as Kenyan police moved to break up dozens of…

South Africa’s top court has drawn a clear line in the sand: foreign nationals whose asylum bids have already been rejected may not file fresh applications. In its ruling, the Constitutional Court warned that permitting repeat filings without a legal framework to govern them would fuel a “never-ending cycle,” stall deportations, and overwhelm the system with administrative disorder. Leon Schreiber, the minister of home affairs in South Africa’s coalition government, hailed the judgment as a “major victory” against what he…

Tuesday May 12, 2026 Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni at the swearing-in ceremony in Kampala. / others Uganda’s long-serving leader Yoweri Museveni was inaugurated for another term on Tuesday in the capital, Kampala, at a ceremony drawing regional heads of state, diplomats and senior officials from around Africa. Museveni won a seventh term after the January 15 presidential election, taking 71 percent of the vote. His main challenger, Robert Kyagulanyi, better known as Bobi Wine, finished with 24 percent. Speaking to…

Human Rights Watch has urged authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo to safeguard free speech and ensure people can voice dissent without intimidation or harassment, following fresh accounts of journalists, activists, and opposition figures being arbitrarily detained. In a statement, the organization said the tightening grip on critics comes amid mounting political friction over a potential constitutional revision. Opponents warn that such a change could allow President Félix Tshisekedi to sidestep the country’s…

Tuesday May 12, 2026 After more than two years in detention in Somalia, six Moroccan nationals have finally made it home, their return marking the end of a long and closely watched ordeal, according to their families and the Joint Committee for the Defense of Islamist Detainees. The men arrived in Morocco last week and were then held in police custody at the headquarters of the Central Bureau of Judicial Investigations in Salé for questioning over the circumstances of their detention in Somalia’s Puntland State region.…

Macron Defends Europe’s Influence in Africa Amidst Rising Chinese Presence During a pivotal two-day economic summit in Nairobi, French President Emmanuel Macron advocated for Europe’s ongoing role in Africa, contrasting it with the expanding influence of China across the continent. Speaking to Jeune Afrique and The Africa Report, Macron reflected on his outspoken condemnation of colonialism upon assuming office in 2017. However, he emphasized the importance of not attributing Africa’s contemporary issues entirely to its…

by STEPHEN ASTARIKOMonday May 11, 2026 IDPs from floodwaters from Bula Punda in Garissa are camping at the Police Training Centre./STEPHEN ASTARIKO Families across Garissa County are facing a fresh wave of suffering after torrential rains and swelling waters along River Tana swept through villages, flattening homes, ruining farms and wiping out livelihoods in their path. The Garissa County Steering Group says at least 10,000 households in Garissa Township have already been displaced, while more than 60,000 others countywide…

By Dr. Ali Said FaqiMonday May 11, 2026 When President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud campaigned on the promise of “Somalis at peace with themselves and at peace with the rest of the world,” the line struck a nerve. After years of political turbulence and fragmentation, many Somalis saw in it the outline of a fresh start: reconciliation, rebuilt institutions and a stronger sense of national purpose. Four years on, that optimism has largely given way to frustration. Many Somalis now say the country is more divided than before, its…